Machine for limbing trees arranged in bundles, especially small trees

Abstract

A machine for limbing trees arranged in bundles including two alternatingly cooperating carriers (8, 9), at least one carrier (8) including a number of rotatable, suitably cylindrical, limbing means (10), means being associated to the carriers to transfer the separate bundle of trees from one carrier to another and vice versa, thus loosening the bundle in order to revolve the trees and successively bring unlimbered parts of the trees into contact with said limbing means (10).

I claim: 
     
       1. In a machine for limbing trees, arranged in bundles including a plurality of limbing means for limbing the trees a first swingable carrier alternatingly cooperating with said limbing means, a first underlying framework, means, comprising first joints, for articulately joining said carrier, in an area thereof facing the limbing means, to said underlying first framework and means comprising at least one power actuator for swinging said first carrier between a first position downwardly inclined from said first joints and a second position upwardly inclined from said first joints, said machine further comprising a second carrier on which said limbing means are arranged, a second underlying framework, means, comprising second joints, for articulatedly joining said second carrier, in an area of thereof facing the first carrier, to said underlying second framework and means comprising at least one power actuator for, swinging said second carrier to a first position downwardly inclined from said second joints in which a bundle of trees can be received by and remain on second carrier for treatment by said limbing means, and for, when said first carrier is in the first, downwardly inclined position thereof, swinging said second carrier to a second position upwardly inclined from said second joints wherein a separate bundle of trees received in the second carrier will fall down from the second carrier onto the first carrier and be transferred thereto when the latter is in the first position thereof, said means for swinging said first carrier comprising at least one power actuator for swinging said first carrier to the second, upwardly inclined position thereof when said first carrier has a bundle of trees transferred thereto from the second carrier so as to transfer the bundle back to the second carrier, whereby the bundle can be transferred from one carrier to the other and vice versa, thereby loosening the bundle in order to rotate the trees and bring the parts thereof which have not been limbed into contact with said limbing means. 
     
     
       2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the carrier includes limiting members on their sides opposite to the joints. 
     
     
       3. Machine according to claim 1, further comprising means defining a loading space between the carriers and means for separating the two carriers so as to provide an opening therebetween through which the trees can fall down into the loading space after the limbing operation has been accomplished. 
     
     
       4. Machine according to claim 3, wherein said means for defining a loading space comprisies first and second underlying frameworks, said frameworks being supported in spaced relationship and at least one of said frameworks comprising first and second parts which are swingably movable from a first position, close to the other framework, in which the two carriers are located next to each other, and a second position spaced at least some distance from the other framework wherein the carriers also are spaced at a distance from each other so as to form said opening. 
     
     
       5. Machine according to claim 4, wherein said machine includes a central frame and wherein each framework includes a plurality of spaced substantially C-shaped bars comprising lower parts inclined upwards from said central frame, intermediate parts projecting substantially vertically from said lower parts, and upper parts projecting inwardly and upwardly from said intermediate parts. 
     
     
       6. Machine according to claim 4 wherein said machine further comprises a central frame and at least one of the frameworks comprises a lower part rigidly connected to said frame an intermediate part articulatedly connected to said lower part, an upper part rigidly connected to said intermediate part and means, comprising a power actuator, for providing swinging of said intermediate part in relation to said lower part. 
     
     
       7. Machine according to claim 2, wherein the limiting members associated with the second carrier extend substantially perpendicularly to said second carrier and the limited members associated with the first carrier extend at an acute angle thereto. 
     
     
       8. Machine according to claim 4, further comprising at least one flexible member extending between the upper parts of the two frameworks which acts as a suspended sling in which falling limbed trees can be collected when said carriers are separated to provide said opening, means for controllably varying the length of said member. 
     
     
       9. Machine according to claim 4, further comprising a curtain suspended from the upper parts of each of said frameworks for preventing twig fragments falling down from the carriers from mixing with the limbed trees in the loading space. 
     
     
       10. Machine according to claim 1 wherein said limbing means includes an elongated shaft, a plurality of spaced, evenly distributed discs arranged along said shaft, and a plurality axially oriented limbing tools spaced from the shaft and extending between said discs. 
     
     
       11. Machine according to claim 10, wherein each limbing tool comprises a plate which is arch shaped in section. 
     
     
       12. Machine according to claim 11, wherein said the limbing plate include at least one saw tooth cutting edge. 
     
     
       13. Machine according to claim 10, wherein an intermediate disc is arranged on the shaft between two adjacent discs and comprises at least one hookshaped part arranged to catch those twigs in the bundle that tend to bent inwardly towards their associated stem. 
     
     
       14. Machine according to claim 13, wherein said intermediate disc includes two diametrically opposed curved parts whose circumferential curved edges have substantially the same diameter as the discs and a comparatively narrow stem part interconnecting said curved parts and including recessed edges in relation to the circumferential edges of the curved parts, said hookshaped parts being formed in the area of transition between the circumferential edges of the curved parts and the edges of the stem part. 
     
     
       15. Machine according to claim 13, wherein a single limbing tool and an intermiediate disc. 
     
     
       16. Machine according to claim 14, wherein two limbing tools are connected to the same intermediate disc, one of said tools being connected to a first curved part and the other of said tools being connected to the diametrically opposed curved part of said same intermediate disc. 
     
     
       17. Machine according to claim 10, wherein each limbing tool is spaced inwardly from the periphery of the discs in order to prevent the tools from coming into contact with the stems of the trees. 
     
     
       18. Machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for reversibly driving the limbing tools. 
     
     
       19. Machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for varying the rotational speed of the limbing means so as to adapt to varying twig dimensions, temperatures and sap conditions. 
     
     
       20. Machine according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of supporting beams on which said limbing tools are journalled in order to prevent deflection of the tools at high limbing resistances, 
     
     
       21. Machine according to claim 1, further comprising a central frame, rigidly connected first, a substantially C-shaped framework connected said central frame and defining one side of a loading space, substantially U-shaped framework having a first shank defining the opposite side of the loading space and a second shank whose spatial position substantially coincides with the spatial position of the first framework when the loading space is being filled with trees, and means for tilting the entire U-shaped framework relative to the frame during discharging of the trees.